Teenager shot dead in London's 'Murder Mile' was student

A teenager murdered yesterday in a double-shooting in east London was a
university student who friends said was not involved in gangs.

Joseph Burke-Monerville, 19, had been studying forensic science at university.

By Melanie Hall

4:46PM GMT 17 Feb 2013

Joseph Burke-Monerville, 19, who was studying forensic science at the London Metropolitan University, died in hospital on Saturday night in an attack that injured a second man.

Police were called to the shooting at 8.20pm on Hindrey Road, near an area known as ‘Murder Mile’ after eight men were shot dead in the area in just two years.

Burke-Monerville, who has a twin brother, lived in Hackney and went to St Aloysius Roman Catholic College in Highgate.

Friends expressed shock at the murder, with Timothy Timi-Kehinde Gbadeyan, who described Burke-Monerville as his closest friend, saying: “Never dreamt of one of my brothers ever being a victim of gun crime.”

Earlier reports said the attack was a suspected gang-related shooting, but friends have said Burke-Monerville was not part of a gang.

Michaela Georgiou Francis called the crime “disgusting”, adding that people like Joseph didn’t “live that life”, and that it was so tragic that it could happen to “such a wonderful loving young man”.

Jeffrey Manso, who went to the same school, St Aloysius, as Burke-Monerville, and had known the family since he was 13, said he was “shocked” about what had happened, and that he wasn’t involved in gangs.

Burke-Monerville was due to go on holiday next week to Magaluf, on the Spanish island of Majorca, which he said would be "a week 'off' stress".

The second victim, a 32-year-old man, is currently in a stable condition in hospital.

Police officers are appealing for witnesses and information following the murder, and no arrests have yet been made.

Two suspects were spotted running from the scene after the shooting towards nearby Pembury Estate, with the first man described as black, while the second is light-skinned, possibly of Asian or Turkish appearance.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “At this very early stage we must retain an open mind regarding the circumstances of the incident and any motive.”

Zach Carpenter, 18, saw two men with bandanas covering their faces walk into Hindrey Road yesterday evening, before he heard three loud bangs.

One of the men was black with a red and white chequered bandana, while the other man was white and was wearing a black bandana, he said.

Mr Carpenter said: "I was walking home from the shop when I saw a black man and a white man walking down the main road and turn into Hindrey Road. After about 30 seconds I heard three loud bangs.

"It's unnerved me a bit because my family live nearby."

The Aberystwyth University student, whose family has lived in the area since he was 10 months old, said there were known feuds between gangs on rival estates.

"It's not so much a war, more of a feud between the Pembury and Nightingale estates, and another one," he said.

Another resident, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said: "With this happening now, I don't think people will feel safe.